


as the wave breaks

by Iris_Duncan_72



Series: Kisses!! [7]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, Kisses, M/M, Merpeople, Reunited and It Feels So Good, i have an agenda and i cannot be stopped, tiny bit of h/c
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:14:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21885061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iris_Duncan_72/pseuds/Iris_Duncan_72
Summary: The tide is in.
Relationships: Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Felix
Series: Kisses!! [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1364167
Comments: 10
Kudos: 109





	as the wave breaks

‘Felix! Jeongin! The tide’s in!’

The young men looked up from the walnuts they were shelling to see a breathless Jisung at the front door, his short hair hopelessly tousled, shirtsleeves rolled up. They exchanged a glance and promptly tossed aside the nutcracker and cracked shells, excitement surging in their blood.

‘How long? Are we late? Are they there yet?’ Felix badgered eagerly, scooping up a handful of his violet skirts as he hurried to the door.

Jisung huffed a laugh, chest still heaving from his sprint across half the island to the Lee household. ‘I wasn’t far from the shore; there’s hours till high tide.’

‘Then let’s go,’ Jeongin declared, having finished re-lacing his boots. He pushed past the others out the door, teal dress stark against the orange and gold of the sunset. ‘Come on, we might see them arrive!’

No further encouragement was necessary – there was no need to lock the door so Felix only shut it behind them and they all ran for the cliffs. Felix and Jeongin’s unbound hair rippled behind them, ink-black pennants in the stiff wind, as they raced down the winding track, past fields of nothing but heather and bracken, then back up the slope to the clifftops.

The village was closer to the cliffs than Felix’s home, so there were already a few people present when they arrived, pulses racing. The trio quickly made their way to one of the lower areas for a better view of the sea, passing other trouser-clad first-borns and long-haired second-borns. Chan, Felix’s older brother, and Minho turned, having beaten them there.

‘You two are going to have awful knots to brush out later,’ Minho said with a grin, smugly flicking the end of his plait at Felix and Jeongin. As a rare third-born, he was allowed to dress however he wished, his hair long but his body clothed in garb similar to Jisung and Chan’s.

‘We left in a rush,’ Jeongin scowled, aiming a kick at Minho’s ankle.

‘We wanted to see them come into the bay,’ Felix said a little absently, scanning the water for movement from anything other than the rolling waves.

‘They must have gone out extra far this week,’ Jisung mused as he stepped forward next to Felix.

‘Aha,’ Chan murmured a minute later, reaching out to squeeze Felix’s hand. ‘Here they come.’

Cries of welcome sounded up and down the line of the cliffs on the heels of his statement, others noticing what he had seen. The wind blew sharply into the faces of the watchers on the island’s edge and the waves surged, crashing into the black rocks, sending foam droplets up into the air. Not a single person flinched, their attention riveted to the fast-moving eddies and swirls appearing on the choppy surface.

The ocean roared, cold spray flew high, and – _there._ The first mer launched themself from the sea and arched beautifully through the air, their tail a flash of silver in the fading light before they fell with barely a splash. Three more mer followed on the next wave, wild glee apparent in every taut muscle as they spun and dived. Felix and the others whooped and cheered, encouraging their kin with lilting whistles and the ululating songs of the sea. The praise was well-received, the mer cartwheeling and leaping all the more enthusiastically, their own voices rising in song as well.

One mer in particular caught Felix’s eye, their tail long and sleek, the fin slicing through the air like a whip. It was very hard to tell who was who from up here and he nibbled his lip uncertainly, but then the mer came up again and _yes_. That one was Felix’s. That one was Hyunjin.

Felix could not sing very high, his deep voice more suited for storm-song than wind-song, but he did his best, weaving through Chan’s comfortingly familiar tenor. After all, he couldn’t very well _not_ sing, could he? He had to let Hyunjin know he was here, watching and longing for him.

Hyunjin did not hear him immediately, his leaps high and clean but not especially challenging. Then the wind changed for just a moment and Hyunjin twisted mid-fall, eyes of piercing slate-grey finding Felix’s just before he disappeared beneath the water with a graceless splash. Jeongin laughed, obviously having picked up on his older brother’s distraction, but there was no malice in his tone and Felix only sang louder, throat beginning to ache at the strain.

Hyunjin reappeared a moment later and Felix’s song faltered as Hyunjin executed a flawless barrel spin, fin flared and arms outstretched for extra style. He caught Felix’s gaze easily this time, teeth flashing in fierce delight. Felix only briefly regretted contributing to Hyunjin’s ever-growing ego before taking a deep breath and strengthening his voice. After that, of course, Hyunjin behaved as though he were still courting Felix, pulling out his showiest moves, his own song fast and proud.

By the time the sky had darkened to deep blue and the dance finished, Felix was practically hoarse but his cheeks were also threatening to cramp with smiling, and he couldn’t bring himself to mind.

The mer swam past the rocks to the small, sheltered beach and many of the people on the clifftop trotted down the steep, narrow path that led there too. Felix was so eager that he nearly tripped on the hem of his dress, Chan grabbing his arm to stabilise him with a fond, if exasperated, sigh. Felix blew his brother an air kiss in return and then they were on the sand and he was hurrying away.

The beach really wasn’t big enough to accommodate this many bodies at once and it seemed to Felix to take a ridiculously long time before he was at the water’s edge. Waves lapped at his boots and his dress was absolutely going to need a wash, but he ignored that as he waited with the others for the forty-odd mer to stagger out of the sea on shaky legs, some of them dragging or carrying woven bags with the week’s findings.

Though Felix would much rather run into the water and help than stand on the shore and wait, he understood why he could not. If he went into the water, he would not be able to resist the call of the ocean and would transform on the spot. And if they _all_ did that, well, who would be left to call their kin onto dry land to their air-homes?

Hyunjin appeared among the group and Felix’s heart squeezed. Their courtship had only ended a few months past and a week was a long time to be apart. The newly bipedal mer waded through the water to shore, his hands empty this time. He lifted his pearlescent gaze to Felix’s and they smiled simultaneously.

‘Welcome back,’ Felix said formally, holding out his hands. ‘I am thankful for your safe return.’

‘And I am happy to be with you again,’ Hyunjin completed, cold hands wrapping around Felix’s as he stopped toe to toe with him.

Wet strands of hair hung around his face, dripping onto Felix’s skin. His violet dress already a mess, Felix rocked forward on his feet, pressing his warm body to Hyunjin’s cool one, tilting his chin up. Hyunjin met him halfway, bending slightly to seal their mouths in a kiss. An embarrassing little squeak of happiness burst of Felix and he squirmed, but Hyunjin only grinned against his mouth, parting his lips to invite Felix in. Hyunjin tasted of salt and Felix’s senses hummed at the familiar tang. He one hand in Hyunjin’s hair to hold him in place as Felix licked the roof of his mouth, sucked his tongue, and nipped a plush lip.

‘I’m very, very happy to be with you again,’ he whispered into Hyunjin’s mouth.

A contented purr started up in Hyunjin’s chest and he wrapped his arms around Felix’s waist. ‘It was a long week for me, too.’

‘Good,’ Felix replied softly, sliding his hand down to cup Hyunjin’s jaw.

‘I don’t suppose you remembered my clothes this time, did you?’ Hyunjin asked casually, eyes twinkling in mischief.

Felix froze, horrified. ‘Oh no.’

Hyunjin threw back his head and laughed in genuine delight. ‘Never mind, my sweet siren,’ he said affectionately, rubbing the tips of their noses together. ‘It’ll hardly be the first time a mer has walked naked across this island.’

Dropping his head to Hyunjin’s chest in defeat, Felix whined. ‘I’m sorry. I even packed them but I was so excited when Jisung told us the tide –’

‘It’s a good thing I know you so well, Felix, or I’d really have to scold you,’ came Chan’s amused voice from somewhere behind him. ‘This is the _third_ time in a row, you know.’

Felix turned to pout at his brother, who stood nearby with a canvas bag in his outstretched hand. ‘I’m _trying_ , alright.’ He took the bag and grudgingly said, ‘Thank you.’

Chan flicked his nose, making him squeal, and inclined his head in greeting to Hyunjin, a gesture which the latter returned, one first-born to another. Then he went to help carry the woven sacks back up the cliff. Felix pulled the pair of loose pair of trousers from the bag and passed them to Hyunjin, the clothing designed not to chafe on the wet body of a mer newly returned from the sea.

Hyunjin giggled at the faint pout Felix still wore, accepting the garment and leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. ‘Don’t worry about it, Felix, you know I’m not bothered.’

Exhaling sharply through his nose as Hyunjin pulled the trousers on and tied the sash around his hips, Felix crossed his arms across his chest. ‘Well, I’m still sorry for being a terrible mate.’

Expression sobering at once, Hyunjin cupped Felix’s face in his hands. ‘You’re _not_ a terrible mate, don’t even joke about that. I consider it a compliment that news of my return is enough to make you so excited.’

Felix softened and he unfolded his arms, curling his hands around Hyunjin’s bare waist. ‘I’d say don’t let it go to your head, but I suppose it’s a bit late for that,’ he said lightly.

A beautiful smiled unfurled across Hyunjin’s face. ‘Definitely too late for that,’ he agreed, already leaning down again.

He pressed a warm, exquisitely tender kiss to Felix’s mouth and Felix shivered, stroking his thumbs over Hyunjin’s damp skin. The rest of the mer were departing the beach and, distantly, he could hear Jeongin and possibly Jisung yelling at them to hurry up, but Felix did not break the kiss. Instead, he leaned in closer, letting Hyunjin coax his mouth open.

Felix was exactly where he wanted to be.

**Author's Note:**

> you can prise my merfics out of my cold dead hands
> 
> merry christmas and happy holidays


End file.
